Tiny dust particles visible in light floating in the air are small molecules of aerosols, dust, viruses or microbes and among other health hazards, can cause you to gain weight.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that dust commonly found in indoor environments could be making you gain weight? Neither did I until I heard about this study done at Duke University. The study shows that common compounds found in dust may be increasing the production of fat cells in your body, making you gain weight! According to the findings, diet and exercise are not be the only factors that make your body store fat, the hygienic state of your environment, where you live, work and exercise, may also have a big bearing on how much you weigh.

How the Study was Carried Out

Recently, some scientists have been focusing their attention on figuring out if environmental contaminants have the capacity to disrupt the metabolism of humans and other animals. In the study carried out at Duke University, scientists sought to assess the ability of extracts from indoor dust and other semi-volatile organic chemicals commonly found in indoor environments, to affect fat cells.

During the study, samples of common household dust were taken from 11 different homes in North Carolina, and they were tested for contaminants. Across all the samples, 44 separate types of contaminants were discovered. The scientists then went ahead to test the effect of each type of contaminant on mouse cells that are meant to store energy in form of fat (the cells used in the study are known as 3T3-L1 cells, and they usually form adipose tissue in mice). This is a significant finding because mouse cells function similarly to human cells, which is why they are commonly used in scientific studies to model the reaction of human cells.

What the Researchers Found

Of all the contaminants that were tested, 3 were found to cause the biggest reactions on the fat cells in subject mice. The three compounds are:

tertbutyl-phenyl phosphate, which is a commonly used agricultural pesticide,

pyraclostrobin which is a flame retardant that’s used in the manufacture of carpets, sofa sets and other household fabrics, and

These compounds are now known as endocrine disruptors because of their ability to interfere with the metabolic function of cells. Some people also refer to them as “obesogens”because of their ability to cause weight gain.

Apart from causing weight gain or obesity, endocrine disruptors are also thought to cause immune disorders, fertility issues, some forms of cancer, as well as neurological issues and premature puberty in children. The study also found.

10 out of the 11 samples of dust that were collected caused a significant increase of fat on the cells.

7 samples caused cells that were previously undifferentiated to grow into mature fat cells and to accumulate more fat.

Contaminants found in 9 of the samples caused the multiplication of undifferentiated cells (which are precursor fat cells).

Only 1 of the 11 samples didn’t create weight gaining conditions in the cells!

Conclusions from the Research

The scientists at Duke University concluded:

Chemicals that cause weight gain are prevalent in most households and indoor environments (10 out of 11 houses had “obesogens”).

They also concluded that it doesn't require much dust for weight gain to be triggered (only 3 micrograms of dust were enough to trigger the reaction, which is alarming because it's estimated that children are exposed to about 50,000 micrograms of dust on a daily basis)

The findings of the study are clear and quite conclusive, dust can indeed cause weight gain and is a significant health hazard. If you live, work, study or exercise in a dusty environment, the “obesogens” can enter your body in a number of ways. They can get in your system through the air that you breathe in, or they could land on your food or drinks and you could ingest them.

So What Can We all Do?

Well, for starters you should try and keep your environment as dust free as possible. This applies both at home and in the workplace. At home, ensure that you frequently vacuum your carpet or hard floor to keep off the dust. In the workplace, you should hire a professional commercial cleaning company like Smart Cleaning Solutions to make sure that you and your employees work in clean surroundings every day. Also, on a personal note, don’t tolerate dusty, untidy schools, kindergartens or exercise facilities because the compounds attached to dust floating in the air may indeed be a health hazard.

Who’d have ever thought that being clean could help you stay lean?

]]>The Ugly Truth about Sanitation in Gymshttps://smartclean.com.au/the-ugly-truth-about-sanitation-in-gyms/
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 03:56:20 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=11741The amount of pathogens that end up on common items in the gym is a shock to most people, and recently researchers were astonished to discover that free weights used in a gym can contain over 360 times more pathogens and bacteria than the seat on a public toilet, treadmills can contain over 70 times more bacteria than bathroom taps, and exercise bikes can carry close to 40 times more bacteria than dirty dishes in a cafeteria. Check out the infographic presenting details of findings based on an average of all like samples collected from three different gym locations, which is credited at the bottom of our post.

Highlighting the problem further, another study found that even when workout equipment is sanitised using common household disinfectants, close to 2 thirds of them still contain traces of rhinovirus, which causes colds. Gym goers can do their best to clean after themselves, but it’s up to the gym’s management to hire a cleaning company that has the expertise needed to properly clean gym equipment and protect customers from dangerous germs.

How Our Professionals Clean and Sanitise Gymnasiums

When it comes to destroying colonies of germs on gym equipment, commercial grade antibacterial cleaners are more effective than ordinary disinfectants, which is why our gym cleaners use them. Many fitness centres use their own staff to clean their workout equipment and in many cases, their staff are only equipped with store bought spray cleaners and rags, which are not really effective in the face of millions of bacteria.

Professional grade antibacterial cleaners have the ability to kill even the toughest germs and viruses. Before choosing a specific type of disinfectant for use on a given piece of equipment, our cleaners assess its chemical properties to ensure that it doesn’t corrode the equipment. Also, experienced cleaners will look for disinfectants that are safe as the disinfectants used on gym equipment should be safe for humans. To see more information about how our cleaners clean to prevent the transmission of infectious disease click here

A disinfectant that is perfect to use in gyms is one containing quaternary ammonia compounds. These compounds have been found to be highly effective in killing even the most notorious types of germs and bacteria. The quaternary ammonia disinfectants are applied using spray bottles. They are generally safe for the environment, harmless to humans, and nonreactive when they come in contact with most gym equipment. To disinfect a surface, this disinfectant is generously sprayed onto the area, left to soak in and kill the germs for about 10 minutes, and then wiped off with a clean rag.

Of course, all other areas of a gym should also be cleaned and sanitised as often as possible, for instance, showers should be scrubbed and sanitised every day to prevent the growth of and spread of fungal disease, locker rooms should be thoroughly wiped down and mopped and public bathrooms properly cleaned to a professional standard.

Professional Gym Cleaning Services by Smart Cleaning Solutions

Smart Cleaning Solutions have extensive experience in cleaning gymnasiums, we clean for some of the biggest gyms and fitness centres in Australia. To find out more about our gym cleaning services click here and to look at sources used in this article click here.

]]>5 Things a Commercial Cleaning Service Must Do to be Reliablehttps://smartclean.com.au/5-things-a-commercial-cleaning-service-must-do-to-be-reliable/
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 02:57:34 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=11702

Commercial cleaners should be well organised

If you are looking to contract a commercial cleaning service for your company, you are going to come across many service providers, each claiming to be better than the last, so how do you know which one to hire? Before you sign a contract with a commercial cleaner, you should check to make sure that their business practices are built on a solid foundation of reliability and consistency. According to Smart Cleaning Solutions CEO Nicholas Pastras, here are the 5 essential things a commercial cleaning service must do for them to be considered reliable enough to earn your business.

Have Quality Control Processes in Place

Any commercial cleaning company can claim that its services are high quality, but unless it has quality control processes in place, there’s no way to prove it. A truly professional cleaning company will audit their services regularly throughout the duration of the cleaning contract. When you talk to sales reps from different companies, ask about their auditing practices, and immediately rule out those who provide vague answers because it means they don't have one. Only work with a cleaning company that carries out weekly checks and performs monthly audits. A good commercial cleaning service should have processes for handling day to day feedback issues, promptly addressing and rectifying problems identified during audits, and supervising their on-site cleaners regularly. Even more importantly, the company should have a quality management system such as the ISO 9001. Cleaning companies with ISO 9001 accreditation are audited on a regular basis to conform to International Standards Organisation specification which are based around the use of business processes that have been proven over time to facilitate achieving customer satisfaction, and if a cleaning company has ISO 9001 certification, you can be assured that they have regularly audited quality control systems in place.

Have Work Care and Liability Insurance Coverage

Just like all other businesses, commercial cleaning companies are prone to risk, so the company you hire should have adequate insurance coverage. Whenever cleaners are in your offices, you are exposed to potential legal liabilities, and you could be exposed if someone is hurt to personal injury claims,even more so if your cleaner doesn’t have public liability insurance. At the very least, a cleaning company should have a $20 million coverage against public liability as well as an up-to-date work-care policy for the cleaners that are sent to work in your office. This means you and your insurance company won’t be responsible if any of the cleaners are injured.

Mitigate against Security Risks

Before contracting a cleaning company, ask them about their hiring policies. Do they carry out police checks before hiring their cleaners? Do they check to ensure that their workers are legally allowed to work in Australia? Do they teach their cleaners how to maintain security while at your premises? The last thing you want is to expose your property to theft or vandalism, so you should only hire a cleaning service that cares about safety and security. Cleaners will have access to most areas in your premises, so you need to know that they are responsible and trustworthy. The cleaning staff should also wear uniforms and name tags so that they can be easily identified.

Agree to a Cleaning Schedule and Scope of Work

A cleaning schedule and a scope of work should form the basis of your agreement with a commercial cleaning company. They are important because you can refer to them if you have any disputes about cleaning standards. When you sit down to talk terms, ensure that the sales rep listens to you and acknowledges all your concerns in the scope of work. The scope of work should specify which areas need to be cleaned, how often they ought to be cleaned, and how much it costs. Areas that require less frequent cleaning should also be listed and the charges for special services should be specified. The company should not pressure you to agree to terms you don’t like. You should be able to ask questions or ask for changes to the schedule. All the terms that you agree to should be presented in a written contract, which you should only sign if you are absolutely satisfied with the terms.

Communicate well with Cleaners and Clients

Commercial cleaning companies should have clear lines of communication which clients know and understand. Check to ensure that the company has processes for collecting feedback, and reliable procedures for addressing specific issues that may arise during the period of the contract. The cleaning company should assign you an account manager who you can contact during business hours if you have any issues to raise. Find out the specific communication policies the company has in place to communicate with cleaners on site, and what backup procedures they have in place in case cleaners are sick. Look for immediate and clear responses from the cleaning company rep, if they are uncertain in any way, you can be certain they have no clear policy and you will be let down at some time. Good companies with well established policies will give you clear definitive answers to questions like these.

Smart Cleaning Solutions is the leading commercial cleaning company in Australia, and we meet all of the conditions discussed in this article and more. We have commercial cleaning offices and operations in every capital city of Australia, to find your closest office look in our menu structure under locations and fill out the form on the page or give us a call. We promise you the most reliable and best managed cleaning service you have ever experienced.

Hygienic childcare cleaning services reduce sick-days taken by working mums

Most mothers agonize over the decision to leave their kids under the care of strangers in a childcare facility and go back to work. It's only natural that working mothers need peace of mind that their children are being well taken care of in an environment that is safe, intellectually stimulating and hygienic. But while safety and an intellectually stimulating environment are usually front of mind when selecting a childcare facility, cleaning standards are just as important, because if cleaning standards are lax, it can directly affect a working mothers successful return to the workforce.

Equal opportunity in the workplace is the law, and employers understand this, but never the less, the last thing any working mother needs is to be constantly called at work with the report that her child has fallen ill. Of course, the occasional illness is bound to happen, and most employers will understand, but when the frequency of your children’s illnesses goes beyond a certain threshold, this can create real stress between a newly back to working mum and her employer, even with the most understanding of employers.

That’s why hygiene is one of the most important considerations for working mothers who are looking to place their kids in a childcare facility. The last thing you need is your relationship with your employer to be unduly stressed or jeopardised, indirectly, by lax cleaning practices employed by the childcare centre you engage when this can be completely avoided simply by choosing a childcare centre that has adequate hygienic cleaning practices in place. Professional childcare cleaning companies like Smart Cleaning Solutions ensure all the hygienic cleaning requirements are adequately managed in a childcare facility.

Why Hygiene is Important in Childcare Centres

Kids will be kids. Even if they are closely watched, they are still likely to engage in lots of unhygienic behaviours such as putting toys and other unclean objects in their mouths. Kids of childcare age are still in the process of learning good personal hygiene habits, so they can't be left to their own devices when it comes to maintaining their hygiene. The childcare centre, therefore, has a responsibility to ensure that the kids aren't exposed to dirt and germs. They have to make sure that all the surfaces, toys, and playground equipment in the childcare centre are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized every day.

Disease outbreaks are more likely to occur in childcare centres with questionable standards of hygiene. Young children of childcare age are still in the process of developing their own immune systems, which means that they are more susceptible to contagious illnesses. It’s therefore imperative that childcare centres be kept in immaculate conditions to prevent the spread of disease-causing germs.

Good Hygienic Practices in Childcare Facilities

Proper childcare hygiene can only be achieved if surfaces and objects in the facility are cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected on a regular basis. Since the health of little children is at stake, cleaning alone will not suffice. Cleaning refers to the process of removing dirt from surfaces, sanitizing refers to getting rid of dirt and most germs, while the process of disinfection has the effect of obliterating all disease-causing microorganisms.

All the activity areas in a childcare centre must be cleaned once or more times daily. Floors in childcare centres tend to get soiled often, so they should be frequently vacuumed, swept, or mopped. The bathroom facilities at the centre should be cleaned and disinfected at least once every day. Bathroom surfaces such as taps, sinks, flush handles, diaper bins, and toilet seats must be thoroughly disinfected as well. Areas where food is prepared and where the kids enjoy their meals and snacks must also be sanitized on a daily basis. The linen or beddings that are used by kids while taking naps must be washed before they are assigned to a specific kid. All the cleaning products used in the childcare centre should be mild and safe for the kids.

How Working Mothers can tell if Childcare Centres are Hygienic

If you are a working mother and you want to enrol your kid in a clean and sanitary childcare centre, you should ask about the centre’s hygienic practices when you meet with the administrators. Ask them how often the facility is cleaned, and what processes are used. Do they have a cleaning schedule they can show you? Do they make hygiene a priority?

Look around the play area of the childcare centre to see for yourself if it’s properly cleaned or if there are pieces of litter and dirty surfaces all over. Try to pay an impromptu visit to the childcare centre for the inspection, because the facility may be cleaned during scheduled visits for your benefit. Go into the bathroom and check if all the fixtures are cleaned, and if the nappy bin is properly secured.

Only enrol your kid in a childcare centre if you are absolutely satisfied with their hygienic practices. This will give you the peace of mind that you need to focus on your job and ensure that you are not needlessly held back in your career by having to have days off to look after sick children simply because the childcare facility you are using cannot keep adequate sanitation standards required to minimise the spread of illness among the children they care for.

]]>Cleaning to Prevent the Transmission of Infectious Diseaseshttps://smartclean.com.au/cleaning-to-prevent-the-transmission-of-infectious-diseases/
Mon, 02 Jul 2018 13:28:24 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=11584Hygienic cleaning practices are important in all public areas, for example toilets, lunchrooms and gymnasiums, but they are even more important in childcare centres, aged care centres, and hospitals because the young, the old and the sick are particularly vulnerable to all sorts of infections. These three groups tend to have weaker immune systems than the rest of us, and it's therefore important that their environments, and indeed all office and workplace environments, are kept not only clean, but extremely sanitary. Here is what you need to know about infectious diseases and how to prevent them through hygienic cleaning practices.

Hygienic Cleaning

How infectious diseases are transmitted

Disease-causing microorganisms are usually transmitted through:

Contact

Droplets e.g. when someone coughs or sneezes.

Airborne particles such as dust or pollen.

Vectors and agents such as insects (mosquitos, fleas, ticks, and flies).

Common material such as food or water.

Contact is the most common way through which infections are transmitted. Infections that are transmitted through contact are categorized into direct contact infections and indirect contact infections. Direct contact transmission occurs when disease-causing microorganisms are transferred to a new subject after he or she is touched by or is near an infected person. On the other hand, indirect contact transmission involves the spreading of an infection that results after the subject comes in contact with an object that is contaminated. In a childcare centre, the contaminated object can be a common toy or play equipment. In an elder care facility, office or gym the contaminated object can be any surface but common culprits are things like door handles and taps. In a hospital, the possibilities are limitless. Proper hygienic cleaning practices are the keys to limiting the transmission of infections through either direct or indirect contact.

Cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting common objects and surfaces

In aged care facilities and hospitals, common objects and surfaces need to be cleaned, sanitized and disinfected as often as possible. Cleaning involves the removal of dirt and soil, sanitizing reduces the number of germs, and disinfection involves virtually getting rid of all germs.

Professional cleaners use spray bottles with disinfecting agents and rags to clean surfaces in care facilities and hospitals. In childcare centres, all toys, monkey bars, swings, slides etc. must be cleaned and disinfected as often as possible. In elder care facilities, surfaces and objects such as doorknobs, taps, faucets, and television remotes must also be frequently disinfected to reduce the spreading of infections.

The risk of transmission of infections through direct and indirect contact is much higher in a hospital than anywhere else. This means that commercial cleaning companies have to be even more thorough when cleaning hospitals. Cleaning agents such as bleach, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide are used to disinfect a wide range of surfaces and objects in hospitals, including bed frames, hospital floors, and wardroom tables.

Proper handling and disposal of waste

Waste handling and disposal is an important part of hygienic cleaning. In childcare centres, wastes should not be left in the children's play area. Young children tend put random things in their mouths, and it can be extremely dangerous if they were to get their hands on any kind of contaminated wastes. Common wastes in childcare centres include diapers, broken toys, and papers. Most childcare centres take care of children who are between 6 months and 6 years old, so some of them still need diapers. Childcare personnel should always ensure that used diapers are kept in secure bins which are out of the reach of children, as they wait for the cleaning crew to dispose of them.

In aged care centres, wastes aren’t a big issue, as long as there are enough bins placed around the facilities, and that they are frequently emptied. In hospitals, all wastes are potentially hazardous, and they should be treated as such. Medical wastes are usually handled by healthcare personnel since they are deemed too dangerous to be disposed alongside ordinary wastes. However, general hospital wastes such as cafeteria leftovers, papers, and bottles, are usually handled by commercial cleaners.

The Importance of Hygienic practices in care centres and hospitals

Hand washing is perhaps the most important hygienic practice that can reduce the transmission of infections. In childcare centres, children should be trained on how to properly wash their hands. Commercial cleaners usually wash their hands before, during and after certain cleaning tasks to prevent the spread of germs.

Protective equipment should be used in aged care centres and hospitals whenever it's necessary. Commercial cleaners use gloves, safety goggles, gas masks, face masks, dust coats, and aprons to protect themselves as they clean and disinfect care centres and hospitals.

Childcare centres, aged care centres, and hospitals should only contract cleaners who have the means and expertise to clean, sanitise and disinfect their facilities, but even offices and gymnasiums should be sanitised as they are cleaned, particularly in flu season or when there is an outbreak or epidemic of any debilitating virus. But without doubt the health and well-being of children, the elderly, and patients must be considered in care facilities, and will depend greatly on the competence of cleaners and their diligence in sanitising while they clean.

As a general rule, all hotels bathrooms and toilets should be thoroughly scrubbed, cleaned and disinfected after one guest leaves and before the next one checks in. Dirty bathrooms and toilets can be off-putting to guests, and in poorly cleaned facilities, they can even be potential health hazards. The last thing a hotelier wants is having a guest catch a fungal infection or some other disease after using the hotel's facilities. Here is how professional housekeepers clean hotel bathrooms and toilets.

The Bathroom Cleaning Process

When cleaning a hotel bathroom, the main objective is to ensure that every surface, fixture or object in the room is clean, bright, spotless, and sanitary. Before starting out, the following precautions should be taken:

Protective gloves should be worn at all times.

Depending on the type of cleaning agent, it may be necessary to wear protective goggles or gas masks.

Use different rags or brushes when cleaning different areas to avoid spreading germs. Colour code cleaning cloths to make it easier to tell them apart.

The equipment used to clean the bathroom and toilet should not be used elsewhere.

Housekeepers usually start by collecting all used towels that are left in the bathroom and clearing out any trash. They then proceed to meticulously wipe down all bathroom fixtures and fittings using a cleaning cloth and a disinfectant spray solution. The fittings that ought to be cleaned and sanitized include:

The hand basin or sink

The shower head

The water taps

The mirror

The vanity countertop

Any door handles

All these surfaces must be completely spotless and perfectly sanitary by the time the housekeeper is done. It may be easy to accidentally overlook some fittings. To prevent this, some professionals use a directional approach. This means that they start at a given point in the bathroom and move in a clockwise or an anticlockwise direction, cleaning every fitting on the way, until they get back to where they started.

Cleaning Tiles, Grout, and Ceramic Surfaces

There are many commercial tile cleaning products that can get rid of grime and disinfect the tiles at the same time. Usually, the cleaning solution is sprayed onto the tiles and it's left to stand for about five minutes. A stiff brush is then used to scrub the wall tiles starting from the ones on top and progressively descending downwards. Other ceramic surfaces such as the bathtub, the sink, and the shower floor can be cleaned using the same process.

Finish with the Bathroom Floor

The bathroom floor should be cleaned last after every other surface is done. It should be scrubbed with detergent and a disinfectant like bleach, and then mopped dry.

Cleaning Hotel Toilets

When cleaning toilets, professional housekeepers usually start by moving all items away from the toilet bowl as a precaution in case of splatter. They then flush the toilet and apply a cleaning and disinfecting agent onto the toilet bowl. There are many varieties of toilet cleaning agents. Some are powdered while others are in form of gels or solutions. The type of cleaner doesn't really matter, as long as it has powerful disinfecting and stain removing properties. The inside of the toilet bowl is then left to soak for a while, as the housekeeper deals with its exterior.

The exterior of the toilet is usually cleaned from the top to the bottom. A cleaning solution is sprayed onto the toilet cistern and the flush handle, and they are then thoroughly wiped down with a cleaning cloth. This process is repeated for the toilet lid, and the outside surface of the toilet bowl, up to the very bottom where it joins the floor. If there is grime on any of these surfaces, is may be necessary to use a tough brush to scrub it off. The S-bend of the toilet should be carefully cleaned because it tends to trap a lot of grime in its nooks.

Special attention is given to the toilet seat because it is the one part of the toilet that comes in contact with the user. The cleaning agent is generously applied to the toilet seat on both sides, and it is meticulously wiped down all over, including the hinge area.

By the time the housekeeper is done with the other parts, the inside of the bowl should be ready. The interior of the toilet bowl is methodically scrubbed, starting from the rim at the top, slowly moving downwards, and finishing with the hole at the bottom. The toilet is then flushed with the lid down. At this point, it should be sparkling. All stray drips are then wiped away, and the toilet cleaning process is done.

Cleaning Hotel Room Kitchenettes and Appliances

For hotel rooms with kitchenettes and appliances such as washing machines, dryers, microwaves, and dishwashers, the same principle applies: all surfaces should be wiped down and disinfected. The cardinal rule is that the cleaning equipment used in the bathroom should never be used in the kitchenette.

]]>The Best Way to Clean a Hotel Roomhttps://smartclean.com.au/the-best-way-to-clean-a-hotel-room/
Wed, 14 Feb 2018 13:35:40 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=10067Cleanliness is perhaps the most important factor that guests consider when they are deciding whether or not to return to your hotel. A hotel could have the best amenities, spacious rooms, and delightful receptionists, but no one would want to stay in it for a second time if the rooms were not spotlessly clean during their first visit. Find professional housekeeping services for a hotel or motel here.

Creating a Cleaning Plan

If you are going to clean a hotel room you should approach cleaning it like a professional, which means having a plan and to executing it with precision. Your plan should include a comprehensive list of tools, equipment, cleaning chemicals, and other products. If you hire a contract cleaner to clean your hotel, they will usually supply all the required equipment, but if you are doing it with in house staff you should have all sorts of cleaning products and tools in stock so that their cleaners are able to do a thorough job. Good sanitation should be at the heart of any proper cleaning plan, particularly if you are cleaning for guests, like you are in hotels and motels. Cleaning is more than just maintaining a good aesthetic appeal. A good cleaning plan should contain equipment and processes that will ensure that the hotel rooms are sanitary and germ-free.

As part of you cleaning plan, you will need to acquire the following cleaning tools, products, and supplies:

Brooms and dustpans.

Mops and mop buckets.

Garbage bags and paper towels.

Multiple cleaning clothes or rags, one for each area that has to be cleaned. Soft rags or microfiber clothes are preferred for surfaces such as mirrors and table tops.

In most high-end hotels, these cleaning tools and products are neatly arranged in a janitorial cart, and housekeeping professionals can push the cart from room to room with relative ease and convenience.

The Cleaning Process

Although there may not be a fixed set of rules on how to go about cleaning a room, following this simple process can help you clean more effectively.

Start with the Linen and the Trash

The first thing to do when cleaning a hotel room is to remove the dirty bed linen and towels, and stuff them in a bag. Some hotels have laundry carts for this purpose, but if you don't have access to one, you can put the dirty linen in a plastic bag. You should also remove all the trash from the room and the adjoining bathroom at this point.

Spread the Bed

The next step is to add clean sheets to the bed and to straighten it. In most hotels, the standard practice is to place a fitting sheet over the mattress, add a flat sheet on top, and put the pillows in clean pillowcases. Blankets and duvets are replaced less frequently, so you can neatly spread the same ones over the sheets.

Avoid Backtracking as you Clean

It’s always a good idea to start cleaning at the back of the suite and to progressively move to the front to avoid messing up your own work. After dealing with the bed and the trash cans, the next step is usually to clean the bathroom. It makes more sense to clean the bathroom first rather than circling back to it later. For more details on how to properly clean a hotel bathroom read this article [Insert link to bathroom article here].

Clean the Room from Top to Bottom

When you are dusting the hotel room, you should remember to start with the higher surfaces and to finish with the lower ones. Dust particles fall downwards, so it would be futile if you were to mop the floor before cleaning other surfaces. Dust the lamp shades, walls, paintings, and anything else that is located in the top half of the room. You should then proceed to dust and wipe down all surfaces, including table tops, windows and window sills, headboards, desks, dressers, TV sets etc. Use different rags for different surfaces to avoid transferring germs from one surface to another. You should dip the rags in a disinfectant before wiping down any of the surfaces. Use a handheld vacuum cleaner to clean the sofas and futons.

Finish with the Floor

Depending on the type of floor in the hotel room, you can vacuum it or mop it. Whichever option you pick, you have to start at the back of the room and clean the floor as you move towards the door. Add bleach or any type of disinfectant to the mop water. As you make your way through the room, return everything to where it's supposed to be.

Clean Rooms vs. Sanitary Rooms

Remember that you are aiming not just for a clean room, but a sanitary one. The difference between the two is that a clean room has no visible dirt, stains or crumbs, while a sanitary room is free of pathogens. To ensure that a room is sanitary, use cleaning products with disinfecting properties throughout the cleaning process, and remember to avoid using the same cleaning cloth on different surfaces, i.e. don’t use bathroom cloths in the kitchen. Colour coding cloths used in the bathroom, kitchen and for general dusting is the best way to ensure that you don’t transfer germs from one area to another.

]]>Cleaning Vomit from Hotels, Pubs and Nightclub Floors.https://smartclean.com.au/cleaning-vomit-from-hotels-pubs-and-nightclub-floors/
Tue, 06 Feb 2018 05:57:57 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=9895If you work at a hotel, a pub or a nightclub, dealing with vomit is pretty much an occupational hazard. Even in the most laid-back or proper establishment, sooner or later someone is going to vomit on the floor. When this happens, you should be prepared. At Smart Cleaning Solutions, one of our specialist areas is hotel cleaning, so our professional cleaners deal with vomit all the time, and have effective procedures for cleaning vomit from both hard floors and carpeted floors.

But sometimes bad things happen at the worst of times, so it is good to be prepared in case you or your staff need to clean up vomit if it happens in your hotel, pub or nightclub.

Beware - Vomit is a Bio Hazard!!
Vomit is a bio-hazardous material so it can contain causal agents of contagious diseases, so when handling vomit, caution should be taken. Protective gear such as gloves should be worn at all times.

Cleaning vomit from hard floors

Naturally, it’s easier to clean vomit from a hard floor than a carpeted one. Professional cleaners will usually start off by removing the bulk of the vomit. If the vomit is fresh, an absorbent powder is sprinkled over it to make it easier for the vomit to be scooped into a garbage bag. Dried vomit has to be scraped from the floor using a plastic scooper or other tools that are unlikely to cause damage to the floor. The area will then be soaked to loosen the remaining vomit particles, scrubbed to remove all the vomit, rinsed thoroughly, then dried off and deodoriser. Professional cleaners usually sprinkle or spray vinegar solutions, commercial disinfectants or deodorising detergents on the floor to kill off the odor. This process works for concrete, tile and wooden floors alike. However, with wooden floor, extra caution has to be taken to prevent staining or discoloration.

Cleaning vomit from carpets

Just like with hard floors, the first course of action when cleaning vomit off a carpet is to remove the bulk of the vomit. Professional cleaners will often use scrapers or dustpans to remove most of the food chunks in the vomit. You can also use paper towels or old disposable pieces of cloth to remove the remainder of the surface vomit.

Absorbent substances such as cornstarch, sand, and baking powder are then sprinkled over the affected area. These substances can absorb the vomit and the moisture that has entered into the carpet fibres, bringing them back to the surface. Baking powder tends to draw vomit from the carpet and deposit it on the surface. Cornstarch pretty much works the same way. For optimal effect, the absorbent substances are usually left on the carpet for over ten minutes to half an hour.

The absorbent material will form clumps on the carpet, these are vacuumed off using a vacuum tube rather than a regular vacuum head. The affected area is then treated with a stain remover. Professional cleaners use a wide variety of stain removers, including dry cleaning solvent, vinegar solution, club soda, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and special detergents. Different stain removers are effective for different types of carpets, and professional cleaners will be able to determine which one works best for the carpet in your hotel, pub or nightclub floor.

After cleaning the carpet, it must be deodorised and professional cleaners will often use baking powder, vinegar, disinfectants, or deodoriser sprays to get rid of any remaining odour. Deodorisers that work by neutralising the odour are much better than those that work by masking it. The deodoriser is usually left on the carpet for a few hours before the carpet is vacuumed again one last time.

It’s important to remember that in hotels, pubs or nightclubs, any surfaces with carpets should be steam cleaned at least once or twice a month with hot water extraction carpet cleaning. Carpets in such places tend to get very dirty because of the high foot traffic, and regular hot water extraction cleaning is necessary to keep them clean.

]]>ISO 9001 Commercial Cleaning Company – What does it Mean & Why Does it Matter?https://smartclean.com.au/iso-9001-commercial-cleaning-company/
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 00:34:58 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=9007ISO 9001 is a Global Quality Management Standard Created Entirely with the Interests of the Customer in Mind.

If you become a Smart Clean customer, you should expect "the most reliable, easy to communicate with, best managed cleaning service you have ever experienced."

There are 7 Fundamental Management Principles Smart Clean demonstrated to the Auditor to earn our ISO 9001:2015 Certification, and they are:

Customer focused business practices

Strong and competent leadership

Meaningful involvement of people

A process driven approach to cleaning & customer service

An ' improvement based' culture

Evidence based decision making and

Excellence in relationship management

1. WE DEMONSTRATED CUSTOMER FOCUSED BUSINESS PRACTICES
We have customer-focused practices in place that aligning our organizational objectives with a 100% focus on exceeding your needs and expectations. That means our practices have been audited and shown to:

Meet our customers’ requirements,

Measure our customers satisfaction

Provide excellent customer service &

Aim to exceed our customer expectations

As a result of this approach we achieve very high levels of customer satisfaction – way above industry standards - and we have scores of written references from satisfied clients that attest to this fact.

2. STRONG & COMPETENT LEADERSHIP
We have been audited and shown to have developed strategies, systems, practices and procedures that enable our cleaners to reliably and consistently keep your facilities clean. To do this we:

Measure, monitor and manage our cleaner’s performance

Employ management systems designed to pick up problems before you even notice them.

Ensure that employees understand what they need to do and are provided with the authority, knowledge and skills to do it.

This means that all our cleaners are:

Police checked

Fully trained in maintaining the lock up security of your site,

Understand the occupational health and safety issues they need to manage onsite,

Are fully insured and

Know their cleaning performance is constantly measured and monitored through weekly site checks and monthly cleaning audits against your written cleaning schedule, so as to ensure your required cleaning standards are always maintained.

This is a measure of our management structures and culture. The auditor found that we have developed management processes that mean our cleaners

Understand what their accountabilities are & the standard of cleaning required

Feel respected and valued for the work they do

Continuously learn and share knowledge

Are aware of easy to use processes that they can use to openly discuss any problems or constraints they face in delivering on their accountabilities

Because of this our people feel empowered and respected and buy into our mission, which is to provide the most reliable, easy to communicate with, best managed cleaning service you have ever experienced."

We have lots of customer testimonials that attest to our ability to deliver this outcome.

We have been audited and shown to have developed commercial cleaning processes and management practices that prioritize continuous improvement and deploy resources effectively, to be able to meet and maintain the services agreed to in your written cleaning schedule.

5. AN IMPROVEMENT BASED CULTURE

We have been audited to ISO 9001 standard and shown to have developed commercial cleaning services and management processes that make the improvement of our cleaning systems an objective of every individual in our organisation. This means we,

Empower our people to make improvements

Measure improvement consistently and

Celebrate and recognise improvements when they are made

6. EVIDENCE BASED DECISION MAKING

We ensure that as an organisation we have accurate and reliable data upon which to regularly measure our performance against the written cleaning schedule that we are contracted to perform.

The auditor found that we use a best practice approach to gather data on our performance, and have management systems in place so we can consistently meet our guaranteed performance criteria, and that our systems mean we ongoingly manage feedback, with our cleaners and our clients, to ensure required cleaning standards are met and kept.

This means that when you hire us, you should expect a service that meets and even exceeds your expectations.

This means that when you choose Smart Clean, you can be confident that you will be happy and well served.

]]>What are the most Common Reasons for Sacking a Commercial Cleaner?https://smartclean.com.au/common-reasons-for-sacking-a-commercial-cleaner/
Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:51:52 +0000https://smartclean.com.au/?p=8905Cleaning isn’t rocket science, so you’d think hiring a cleaner for your business would be a straight forward process, right? Well unfortunately, no!

"Every year, almost half the people hiring a contract cleaner sack them, either in the middle of their contract, or when their contract is expired, because they’re unhappy with the service they're receiving and go in search of a better more reliable cleaner" says Smart Cleaning Solutions CEO Nicholas Pastras.

So, what are the main reasons why people sack commercial cleaners?

How to hire the right commercial cleaning company

Empty Promises & Unclear Scope of Works

The most common reason people cite for sacking a cleaner is “They just didn’t deliver”- In short, they simply failed to do what they said they would do. The best solution to this problem is a clear written cleaning schedule and a specification of tasks". (The checklist you can download on this page has eight simple questions to ask to make sure you get an adequate cleaning schedule and scope of works.)

A Lack of Experience

Cleaning isn’t rocket science, so a simple trap a lot of people fall into is thinking the only thing they need to get a good cleaner is enthusiasm. Unfortunately, enthusiasm is not enough. To maintain standards, day in day out, 365 days a year, requires professionalism, systematic organisation and good supervision. (The checklist has two simple questions to ask to make sure you get a cleaner with adequate experience cleaning your business.)

They Didn’t Listen

"We told them again and again but they forgot this, they always missed that, we told them a million times, but they didn’t listen..., in the end we had to sack them". (The checklist we recommend you download has six simple questions in it to ask a cleaner about their communications processes before you hire them.)

They Exposed Our Business to Risks
“They were so unprofessional, they left the front door open overnight.” That’s one we’ve heard before, says Pastras. Another thing to watch out for is that anyone you have in your premises after hours is of good character, because another thing we hear is that "we had to get rid of the old cleaner because ‘things were going missing.’"

At Smart clean we take care of all client risks associated with having a cleaner on their premises. All our cleaners are police checked before we engage them and all public liability and work care issues are manged by us - efficiently. (Our checklist has five simple questions you need to ask a prospective cleaner to make sure they don’t inadvertently expose your business to risk and potential financial loss).

A Lack of Quality Control Systems

Anyone can tell you that they will clean your business reliably day in day out, but it’s much harder to do than say, in fact in the thousands of consulting meetings we've had with businesses, 75+% have said they were frustrated and unhappy with the cleaning they were receiving . That’s why it’s so important that your cleaning requirements are documented and that your cleaner is able to demonstrate that they have systems and processes in place to ensure that your cleaning standards are maintained and met consistently. At Smart Clean we do weekly spot checks and monthly audits against a written cleaning schedule, these are just two of the ways we manage and maintain consistency and reliability in cleaning standards. Adequate quality control is important on any site, but is even more important in specialist cleaning, for instance, cleaning for an Aged Care Centre or cleaning toys and high traffic play areas in a Childcare Centre (Our checklist has seven simple questions you need to ask a prospective cleaner to make sure they have adequate Quality Control processes in place).

BONUS: POINTS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN CLEANING CONTRACTS

The final step in the process of hiring a cleaning company is entering into a services agreement. But there can be a number of ‘gotcha’ points you need to look out for in cleaning contracts and our free checklist points out 8 things you need to look out for when reading over a cleaning services agreement, and how to change them, before you sign it.

Knowing why people sack cleaners and the things to look out for when hiring a cleaner greatly simplifies the task of hiring a good cleaner. Take advantage of this knowledge when you next need to hire a cleaner for your facility, by downloading our free checklist for interviewing a commercial cleaner.